


Goodnight Moon

by LittleAndikin



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben Solo is a dad, Brief mention of Past Abuse, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, mostly just fluff though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:28:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26835205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleAndikin/pseuds/LittleAndikin
Summary: Based on this prompt from @Reylo_Prompts on twitter:Ben's 3 year old daughter Lily won't go to sleep without listening to the library's podcast reading of Goodnight Moon. When she's in the elevator with her father & a neighbour, she recognises Rey from her voice as the person who reads to her every night.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 63
Kudos: 328
Collections: Reylo Prompt Fills (@reylo_prompts)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Well this took way longer to write than I expected...  
> I'll be posting this work in two parts since it kind of got away from me, so look out for the second part!
> 
> CW:  
> There are a couple of mentions of past emotional abuse from Lily's mother but it doesn't go into detail. Most of this is just domestic fluff and Ben being a dad :)

**GOODNIGHT MOON**

_ Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. _

_ Goodnight cow jumping over the moon. _

_ Goodnight light, and the red balloon... _

* * *

If you'd asked Ben Solo ten years ago if he'd ever wanted to be a father, the answer would have been an immediate no - probably followed by some noise of distaste at the mere suggestion. This was partly because his own father had been such a terrible example. Han Solo was hardly a family man. He was always missing when they'd needed him most, leaving his wife's heart in pieces and his son endlessly searching for reasons to make him stay.

How could Ben be any better at taking care of a family?

The other reason for this answer was a bit more complicated.

Ben Solo? That monster as a father? No child should have to be raised by a man with such a cold heart and a bad temper. Anyone who was, if they survived long enough, would surely grow up to be just as much of a monster.

Of course, circumstances change. Looking down at his daughter's sleeping frame, raven hair cascading over her pillow and long eyelashes fluttered shut, shadowing freckled cheeks, the word monster didn't even come close. Little Lillian Solo was anything but a monster. She could be sassy and knew how to get her own way, but there was a kindness to the girl that not even her father could comprehend. She made friends easily. She was polite, generous - everything he wasn't.

Ben pressed a soft kiss to his daughter's temple, brushing her hair out of her face before exiting the room quietly, her nightlight still glowing in the corner. Eight o'clock and he was still in his work suit having just got home. His tie was off and, shirt partially unbuttoned but apart from that, he hadn't relaxed since waking up that morning. He'd come straight home from work to relieve the nanny, but Lily had a strict seven o'clock bedtime, and she was already fast asleep by the time he'd gotten there. Like always, he was late, and Jannah had put her to bed with a library podcast of her favorite book - Goodnight Moon.

Ben used to read it to her every night at her request, relishing the time with his baby. That had been before his ass of a boss had changed his hours with the promise of more pay. He was a single parent living in Brooklyn with no support whatsoever. He also refused to take any money from his parents. So, long work hours it was.

Lily would have no one else read the book to her, sobbing to her nanny about how she wanted her Daddy to read it, and refusing to sleep until he'd come home.

That was until he'd found the podcast.

The idea had been that no one would be actually reading the book in front of her. She could just press play and close her eyes, leaving no one in the room with her. Lily was too smart for that trick, but she found the voice soothing, and somehow, it worked. The podcast soon became her favorite thing to listen to, and now even when her father was home in time, she'd just ask him to sit in the room with her while she played the recording.

Ben didn't mind. As much as he'd try to deny it, he found the voice soothing too. It was soft and warm, almost familiar with an unmistakably English accent.

However, with each passing day, it became harder to deny, and now the voice had started to filter into his dreams more often than he cared to admit. His mind would conjure up a woman whose face he couldn't quite make out, but who would radiate a warmth he struggled to part from when he woke. She  _ would _ speak to him though, most of the time, stroking his hair and murmuring reassurances that he was doing okay; he was worth something. Sometimes, the dreams wouldn't be quite so tame. She would whimper and moan for him, pleading for him to touch her and begging for release. The shame would eat him alive, but he couldn't seem to stop. Those were the dreams that would have him wake in the night, sweating and embarrassingly hard.

Ben ran a hand through his hair, sighing softly as the silence that haunted his apartment engulfed him.

This was how he passed his days. His mornings were for Lily. He'd make breakfast and play with her till inevitably having to get ready to leave for work and her for nursery. He'd slave away at a desk for hours before returning home late, rarely being able to make it before his daughter was in bed. He'd clean and make himself some food, using whatever junk was in the house before watching crappy TV till exhaustion took over him. On the odd occasion, he wouldn't even make it off the couch.

Then the weekends would come, and it would all feel so worth it.

* * *

The next morning was one of those days Ben had woken to find himself still on the couch, his large body contorted in a way that left his muscles aching badly from the cramped space. Dark circles shaded his face, and his mouth was dry, but he couldn't go back to sleep. Not when someone was shaking him.

"Daddy? Daddy, wake up."

Ben grumbled something incoherent as his body slowly caught up with his mind, waking more as the voice continued.

"Daddy, wake up!"

She was climbing on him now, patting his face and pulling gently on pieces of his hair.

Ben blinked his eyes open, grumbling again as he struggled to form any sort of coherent sentence just yet.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," he reassured her, turning his head to meet the hazel eyes of his daughter. The same eyes she'd inherited from her mother.

Lily was smiling down at him, clearly very proud of succeeding in her mission to wake her father, and suddenly the aches and pain from the night before didn't seem so bad. He found himself smiling back, unable to help himself when his daughter's face could brighten the darkest room or warm the coldest heart. It was hard to understand how such an amazing little girl could have come from someone like him, but there she was.

"Daddy? Can we go to the park today?" She asked, her eyes big and pleading.

Since the day she'd been born, Ben had been wrapped around her little finger, but he still knew to teach his daughter her manners.

"What's the magic word?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Please?" She pouted, large eyes blinking at him.

Ben pretended to think about it.

"Okay, go wash up, and I'll make some breakfast. We'll go to the park after."

Lily's eyes lit up as she squealed excitedly, climbing down from him before she ran off to the bathroom with a thank you.

Ben had to practically haul himself off the couch, running a hand through his tangled hair and stretching slightly. Parenting hadn't come the easiest to him, but nearly four years later, he was starting to believe that maybe he wasn't so bad. Still, every time the thought crossed his mind, she'd grow, and he'd be right back to square one with new challenges to face. He dreaded to think about how he'd parent a teenager. If she turned out anything like him, he'd have a true nightmare on his hands.

Lily was rambling to him about something Ben only half-understood, no matter how much he tried to decipher her speech. She hadn't stopped since they'd sat down for breakfast that morning, and showed no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Lily could be shy and reserved a lot of the time, but when she got excited, there was no stopping the child. Not that Ben minded all that much. He was tired and feared a headache was coming his way, but still smiled and made the right noises, nodding at appropriate times to show he was listening.

Ben wasn't much of a bragger, but he had to admit - he'd made a pretty damn cute kid.

At the park, she'd even managed to wear him down enough to buy her an ice cream despite the fact it had zero nutritional value whatsoever. Though, the jumping and giggling that came from the following sugar rush was a large part of his decision to never fall for that one again. Hopefully, she'd welcome a nap when they got home. Ben rarely had a lot of time to himself anymore, so, took every chance he could get.

Still, he wouldn't trade this time for the world. Weekends were special. He didn't have to run off to work. He had all the time in the world to do everything a father should be doing, including letting her jump about on a sugar high as they walked to the elevator.

Once there, he let her press the button to their floor - what is it with children and wanting to push buttons? - relaxing slightly as the doors began to slowly shut in front of them.

"Hey, wait!"

Ben lifted his head to notice a girl running towards him. Despite the slight chill brought by the late September air, she wore a sundress, yellow with white flowers embroidered into the material. Long tanned legs kicked from under her as she raced towards him, and it took everything Ben had not to stare. He instead snapped himself from his thoughts, sticking a hand out to stop the doors from closing, and allowing her to slip in beside him.

"Thanks," she panted, once the doors were once again closed and they'd begun moving.

"I think I left my door open, and Bebe likes to run away. I mean- what cat?"

Ben chanced a glance at this strange woman, taking in her features properly for the first time. Her face was scattered with freckles, tinted red from her short run. Everything about her appearance screamed delicacy. Hazel eyes, a button nose, and full pink lips that hinted at dimples when pulled into a soft smile. The fact that she'd dashed towards the elevator, shouting from the opposite side of the lobby, and mentioned a cat that they weren't allowed in the building told a different story, however.

There was something else, though. Something familiar that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"You never mentioned it was a cat," He commented, smirking slightly and looking away before she could catch him staring. Her eyes widened at the realization that she'd spilled her secret, looking at him pleadingly, but Ben had no plans on ratting out a neighbor just for owning a pet. He chuckled softly at her reaction, reassuring her that he wouldn't say anything, and she smiled. It was bright and genuine, dimples on full show now.

She thanked him, but Ben didn't really hear, too busy looking down at his child who'd been pulling at his coat for the majority of their short conversation.

"Daddy, it's the Goodnight Moon lady," she half-whispered, all of a sudden seeming very shy, the previous effects of the sugar seeming to wear off as she tried to hide behind him a little.

"What?" He asked, suddenly very confused as to what was wrong with his little girl.

"The Goodnight Moon lady!" She repeated louder, just as the doors to the elevator opened and they all stepped out onto the same floor. Lily practically dragged him out, pointing at the woman who was now a few steps ahead of them.

Ben lectured for her not to shout, but it was too late. The girl had slipped from his grasp and was now chasing the poor woman down the hall, tapping her back as she was reaching for her keys.

Ben's heart stopped, momentarily frozen as he tried to understand what had just happened. Lily had never done anything like this before. She was usually so well behaved. Whatever reason she had for this behavior had to have been a good one. Not that that was an excuse.

"Lillian!" He scolded, finally snapping into action and catching up to them quickly, taking hold of his daughter's hand.

The woman didn't seem too phased, actually laughing slightly, but that didn't stop him apologizing over and over again for the toddler's actions. The same toddler who was still staring at her with the utmost fascination, almost as if she was in some form of trance. At least she still managed to look just a little bit guilty for her actions.

The woman was still giggling softly, smiling down at the child, and reassuring him that it was okay.

"I'm Rey, what's your name?" She asked, bending down to Lily's level.

Lily looked to him this time, silently asking for permission to talk to the stranger, and beaming when he gave a slight nod.

"My name's Lily," she grinned, proudly. "This is my daddy."

The woman- Rey, stood back to her full height, her eyes meeting his for the first time.

She was so beautiful.

"Daddy, huh?" She asked, completely catching him off guard. Ben almost choked, whatever response he was thinking of catching in his throat. It was a big difference to hear that from a grown woman.

"Ben Solo, nice to meet you," he eventually managed, voice cracking ever so slightly like a teenage boy with a crush, as he stuck his hand out for her to shake.

Luckily, Rey didn't seem to notice, or if she did, she was doing an excellent job at hiding it.

"Nice to meet you too," she responded, shaking his hand.

Ben was pretty sure he'd blacked out for a moment, the next few seconds not registering just yet. It had been a long time since he'd felt like this, and the last time had led to nothing but disaster. She was talking to Lily, explaining about the book and how happy she was that she enjoyed it. More importantly, she was still holding his hand.

"You're new here," he stated suddenly, interrupting the conversation, and mentally scolding himself for not seeming more normal and asking if she was new rather than just coming out with it. He was 32, not 16. There was no reason for him to be falling apart over a pair of pretty eyes, especially when his daughter was doing the exact same thing, albeit for a completely different reason. 

Ben finally dropped her hand as she responded.

"Yeah, I just moved in. My friend was just helping me grab some more stuff when- Shoot, Bebe!" Her eyes widened, apologizing as she insisted she had to leave but would catch him later.

"Daddy, Rey should come for dinner!" Lily gasped, catching him off guard since he'd, for the second time that day, forgotten she was there.

He was really starting to believe he was a terrible father.

"Um, I- If she wants?" He stuttered, watching for her reaction. The statement seemed to take them both off guard, yet she smiled and agreed.

Ben managed to stumble out a suitable time and their address, just as she left to go check on this cat that wasn't even allowed in the building. Once again, he was left alone with a three year old who seemed very proud of herself.

"Don't worry Daddy," she smiled, noting the expression on his face.

"I think she likes you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Quietness is an essential part of all awareness.
> 
> In quiet times and sleepy times,
> 
> a child can dwell in thoughts of his own,
> 
> and in songs and stories of his own.”  
> ― Margaret Wise Brown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am literally blown away by how the first part of this story was received and just want to thank everyone who commented and left kudos on this because it literally means the world to me. I might edit this part a little bit further down the line but I really hope you enjoy it
> 
> \- Andrea x

This was _not_ a date.

This was one person inviting his new neighbor for dinner to be friendly and welcome her to the building.

Correction, this was one person's three year old daughter inviting their new neighbor for dinner.

Kriff, that was embarrassing. His toddler had dared to invite a beautiful girl over whilst he'd barely managed to say three words to her. Maybe that was why he was so nervous because, again, this was not a date.

Ben sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair, standing under the shower. He was bound to make an idiot of himself, it was practically inevitable, and then Lily would never get to hear her story read by the one person she wanted to hear from most. Ben couldn't let that happen to his baby girl just because he'd developed some sort of foolish crush on a woman he had no chance with. She was beautiful, cheery, and unafraid to be herself no matter what others thought. This was evidenced by the fact she'd run through the lobby, shouting at him in a practically fluorescent sundress, in October. He was kinda weird looking, too big for his surroundings, and extremely awkward.

To put it simply: He was a mess.

Still, he didn't have it in him to cancel now, not when Lily was so excited.

He turned off the shower and stepped out, drying himself quickly and getting changed into something casual that still said he'd made an effort before going to check on his daughter.

He'd left her in her room after helping her wash up from their trip to the park. She sat cross-legged on her bed, acting out some elaborate scene she'd conjured in her imagination with her dolls.

"Wow, are they dancing?" He asked in a soft tone reserved only for her, sitting on the edge of her bed to watch her play.

"Nope, they're fighting," she responded, barely glancing up at him since she was so engrossed by the scene playing out before her.

"Fighting?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lily nodded, creating sound effects to play along with her scene.

"Here," she passed him the boy doll with his obnoxious painted smile and plastic muscles.

"You can be Kylo. He's the bad guy, and Rey's come to save the day," she beamed at him.

"Rey as in the lady who's coming for dinner?" He asked. It had seemed the woman had made just as much of an impression on his daughter as she had on him, but at least she had a good reason for the sudden infatuation.

Lily simply nodded, and Ben chuckled, playing along with her game till he had to make dinner.

"Daddy?" She called as he was leaving the room.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you think Rey will read my book?" She asked, looking hopeful if a little anxious as she clutched her book tightly to her chest.

"I'm sure she will, as long as you remember to say please," he responded with a small smile.

"I will, Daddy," she reassured him, practically beaming again as she returned to her dolls, leaving him to make dinner.

Ben had always been good with food, having learned from his family's cook when he was growing up. It was rare that he could indulge in the hobby now, but he hoped to one day be able to teach Lily when she was old enough. The girl had already taken a liking to baking, helping to stir when she was needed. Though, he suspected she just liked being able to lick the spoon afterward.

He'd decided to make something simple since Lily could be quite fussy, and he had no idea what Rey liked. Pasta was a good bet. He'd make some kind of sauce to go alongside, something creamy and flavorful that they'd all enjoy.

Again, this was not a date. There was no need to fuss.

He tidied quickly, clearing away the few toys and clothes scattered about their small apartment.

Rey was due any minute now and the nerves that had been building over the past couple of hours were in full swing. Tidying his already clean and ordered home was a welcome distraction, just something to occupy himself with while he let the pasta boil.

That didn't stop him from jumping when he heard a knock at the door.

This is not a date.

She was here for his daughter, not him.

His hand lingered on the door handle before he finally worked up the courage to open it, taking a deep breath and plastering a smile onto his face.

There she was. She'd gotten changed since their earlier encounter, now wearing jeans and a white shirt that ruched in the center and hung off her shoulders. The odd three-bunned hairstyle remained intact, however.

Ben tried not to let his eyes linger over the exposed skin - sunkissed and freckled, - only just managing as she turned to him. She paused, taking him in, and for a moment, Ben was worried she'd run. 

He must have looked a nightmare, dressed in all black with a jumper that was just a bit too tight for his body.

After a moment, she seemed to catch herself, her face spreading into a bright smile that set his heart racing. She was truly breathtaking, and clearly far too polite to run.

"Hey," he breathed, inwardly cursing himself for being so awkward.

Rey giggled softly, greeting him with a small, "Hi," in return.

"Do you want to come in? Dinner won't be much longer," he offered, thankful his voice had seemed to return to normal, and he was forming clear sentences.

"Sure," she nodded, still smiling up at him as he stepped aside, allowing her in.

Rey looked around, seeming to take everything in and not exactly being subtle about it, not that Ben minded. He simply blushed and offered her a seat, saying something about letting Lily know she was there.

* * *

Not long later, the trio found themselves seated around a table, happily feasting on the pasta he'd made - which was delicious if he said so himself - laughing at another one of Lily's stories about nursery. A lot of it made no sense, but her enthusiasm and giant grin were enough to make them smile along even without fully understanding.

Ben's plan to not input anything to the conversation had been futile in the end. Neither of the girls at the table would let him, always pulling him in to join whatever topic they were on.

Rey, he found, was surprisingly easy to talk to. She was as warm and uplifting as her voice suggested, and Ben found he never wanted her to stop talking - about nothing, about everything. Though he found his mind occasionally wandering to other things she could do with her lips, only to snap back to reality as he remembered his toddler was still there.

Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but Ben could have sworn she had been sneaking glances at him whenever Lily was talking. He could feel her eyes burning into him, causing him to flush a faint shade of red that reached the tips of his ears.

"How old are you, Lily?" She asked, her bowl now clean. Part of him preened at the knowledge she'd enjoyed his cooking. Rey had practically wolfed it down, nothing like the women he'd met before who'd picked and nibbled at food. His mother would be appalled.

"Almost four," she responded proudly. Lily would be four in less than a month, and she had no hesitations letting him know she was a big girl now. It made him feel dizzy to think of how fast she was growing, but with each year, she was more beautiful, more intelligent, and more benevolent than before. That was how he knew he had to be doing a good job.

"Wow, you're practically a lady," Rey smiled, putting on that same voice all grown-ups used when entertaining a child.

It worked wonders, and Lily giggled, nodding and sitting up straighter in her chair.

"Soon, I'll be ancient!" She joked, sighing exaggeratedly like this growing up stuff was hard work - which, of course, it was.

Rey laughed, and Ben almost did too before Lily had added a - "just like Daddy!"

This only made Rey laugh harder, struggling out an "I'm sure your Daddy's not ancient."

"He is, he's 32," his daughter continued, and Ben blushed because he'd already guessed there was quite an age gap between himself and the beautiful girl sat opposite him. He didn't need the confirmation.

"Well, I'm 24, so that's not so ancient to me," Rey smiled, meeting his gaze again and instantly making him feel at ease once more

Lily nodded, seeming to agree as she looked between the pair of them, almost knowingly (that was crazy, she was three), before moving to a new topic that wasn't so embarrassing.

* * *

Rey stayed after dinner, much to Ben's delight. Lily had obviously asked her to stay and read her book, and she had accepted without a moment of hesitation, happy to stick around if only to make the girl happy.

Right now, she was washing dishes, despite the fact he'd insisted that she was his guest, and that was his job. Something he'd learned recently, however, was that Rey was extremely stubborn and had insisted that she do it so he could get Lily ready for bed, thanking him for the food still and for letting her come over as if it had been a chore for him to have done so.

That couldn't have been any farther from the truth.

As much as he was perfectly capable of looking after Lily on his own, and actually much preferred it to the alternative of having to live with her mother, it was nice to have someone around to help. Ben had friends, very good friends. He also had his parents, but something about this was different. The entire evening so far had been oddly domestic and it scared him how much he liked that.

After Bazine, Ben hadn't even considered dating again. It had taken him a while to sneak out of her grip, Lily's birth being the final catalyst and Bazine actually letting him go if he promised to take the child and leave her out of it - permanently. He'd been more than happy to oblige, thankful to get out of a relationship he'd felt trapped in for years; controlled and berated.

He wasn't stupid. He'd noticed the glances he would get from single mothers (and some fathers) when he'd dropped Lily off at nursery, but he'd always boiled that down to desperation. Ben wasn't as desperate. Bazine had really left her mark on him, almost destroyed him as a person. He was much happier on his own, just him and his favorite person in the entire world - the only good thing to come from that relationship.

Rey was different.

He barely knew her, and yet she was already turning him into a mess. She was gentle and patient, laughing at all of his dad jokes despite how terribly bad they were. She was sweet with Lily and listened as best as she could, even when the girl was making no sense. Ben was sure he must be going mad. Her smile made his heart jump, and the slightest touch set his skin on fire.

He had to get over it. This was a mess waiting to happen, and Ben knew that. It wouldn't be fair to Lily to pursue this woman when she'd inevitably leave, maybe even laugh in his face as she did. Rey was far too good for him, and if he even for a second ever thought she would ever reciprocate his feelings - then he was a fool.

Ben sighed as he finished getting Lily ready for bed, running a hand through his hair as she asked for her story as usual. Only this time, she had the real deal sitting outside her room, waiting, and she couldn't be more ecstatic, wriggling in excitement as he left the room.

From the looks of it, Rey had just finished doing the dishes and had already turned her focus to him, before he'd even closed the door.

"She's asking if you could read the story," he chuckled softly, thinking back to his little girl clutching the book in her tiny hands. "It's her favorite. She listens to your voice every night. Kid won't even let me read it to her now." Ben slotted his hands in his pockets, not quite meeting her gaze but smiling fondly as he thought about the whole situation. It had to be more than a simple coincidence that she'd moved in when his daughter was obsessed with that book, right? He'd never been a big believer in that sort of thing, but surely this meant something.

Rey looked almost shocked for a moment as if she couldn't quite believe that he was really asking her to stay, and this hadn't been some sort of big prank on a new neighbor. Of course, Ben - being the awkward mess that he was - panicked immediately.

"I mean, you don't have to," he rambled, desperately trying to cover his tracks, but Rey simply shook her head, easily shutting him up.

She paused for a second, searching for something to say, and Ben was helpless to do anything but hold his breath as he waited for an answer. The silence was deafening. It wrapped around the pair, locking them into a bubble of tension that could burst at any second.

Or maybe that was just him being dramatic.

"No, it's fine, I'd love to read to her," she eventually responded, her demeanor once again relaxed as she allowed those dimples to show in a soft smile.

"I just- You obviously care about her a lot. It's sweet..."

Ben nodded, still studying the woman in front of him. There had to be a reason for the sudden shift in behavior, but he didn't know her. If she wanted to tell him, she would. For now, he just had to trust that everything was okay and try his best not to pull her into his chest. The last thing she needed was a giant sasquatch of a man trying to hug her when she already seemed uncomfortable.

"Well, yeah... She's my daughter. I'd do anything for her," he shrugged. 

By no means was Ben Solo father of the year, but he loved his daughter more than anything in the world and was determined to be a better parent than either of his parents were.

If she had a story she wanted to tell, he'd listen, no matter how silly. He took note of her likes and dislikes, her favorite class at school, her favorite color and animal. Ben might not have been able to be around all the time, but he made sure he was there when it was important, and not only was he there, but he was present.

Rey nodded, slipping back into thought for a moment before returning and following him into Lily's room.

She looked around for a while, taking in the room before sitting on the edge of his baby's bed, where she was already clutching the book tight to her chest, kicking her little legs in giddy excitement. This was the moment she'd been waiting for, for almost a year now.

Ben leaned against the wall on the opposite side of the room as he watched the pair interact, Lily handing over her book and bundling herself up into her blanket.

The entire room seemed to still. The anticipation growing as she took the book into her hands, flipping to the first page and taking a breath to start. Lily watched with utter glee, her eyes bright and shining as she took in the woman before her with nothing but admiration. It almost made Ben want to cry seeing his baby girl so happy from such a simple act.

“Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere.”

Rey's voice was just as soothing as ever - soft and melodious with that endearing accent he was slowly becoming addicted to. By the end of it, Lily was fast asleep, a small smile etched onto her face. She looked peaceful. To Lily, Rey was like a celebrity, someone she could look up to and admire. She was living the dream, getting to meet her childhood hero. Now she just needed to meet Doc McStuffins, and she'd be set.

Slowly, she stood as he drew closer to the pair after the story had finished, bending to tuck his daughter in and leaving with a soft kiss to her forehead, closely followed by the Goodnight Moon Lady. Closing the door behind them, she sighed softly, lingering for a moment.

"She's sweet…" She commented, watching as he sat down and only joining when he made a show of creating more space for her to say it was okay to join.

"Yeah, she's a little shy at first, but she can easily be the loudest person in the room once she gets comfortable," he chuckled softly.

Rey laughed, glancing back at her bedroom door and nodding slightly as if to say she could definitely see that happening.

"Does she let her mom read to her?"

Ben felt his whole body stiffen, his smile dropping instantly. It had been an innocent question. It took two people to make a baby, therefore Lily had to have had a mother at some point. Well, a woman who gave birth to her. Bazine was no mother.

She wasn't there for the tantrums and the illnesses. She didn't feed her or clothe her. She didn't do anything that could grant her the title of mother and, Ben had used to resent her for it.

Now he was grateful.

Lily didn't need to be put through the kind of things that she'd put him through. Bazine abandoning them had been the best thing to happen to the family. 

"Her moms-" he started, not sure how to finish that sentence without straight up saying anything such as a bitch, abusive, or the worst thing that had ever happened to him.

"Her mom's not in the picture," he eventually settled on, deciding that was the safest option. "She left us as soon as we left the hospital."

He could see Rey looking at him, out of the corner of his eye, since his gaze had met the floor and stuck there as he spoke.

She nodded, a small frown distressing her features.

“At least she has you,” she commented, sounding as truly empathetic as she looked.

“I’m sorry for acting a little weird earlier,” Ben looked up at that, noting that she was the one not quite meeting his eye now. Before he could even think of a reply, she continued.

“I guess I just assumed you were asking to be polite for your daughter. I didn’t expect you to actually want me to stay.”

Rey felt like she was intruding. Ben had understood that from the moment she’d offered to do the dishes as if she needed to repay him. He could never imagine why, however. Surely she could see that her coming over had taken a weight off his shoulders that he didn’t even know he had.

“Of course I wanted you to stay,” he frowned, his eyes searching her face for some kind of answer. “I like talking to you, and Lily adores you already.”

Rey nodded, though it seemed forced as if she was trying to convince herself that what he was saying was true.

“I know. It was just odd you looked so sincere, and I guess I’m just not used to that outside a few friends,” Rey took a deep breath before continuing. She was opening up to a near-perfect stranger, and yet nothing about it felt forced or uncomfortable. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to be closer.

“My parents abandoned me when I was five, so it’s nice to meet someone so devoted to their child.”

"I'm sorry..." Ben frowned, not sure what else to say. He couldn't even begin to think about how someone could just abandon their child, especially someone as sweet as Rey. Then again, his own parents hadn't exactly been around often, always leaving him with nannies and butlers and anyone who would take him off their hands.

"You're a good dad, Ben," she smiled again, and Ben could feel his heart beating faster and faster. They were closer now. He could examine all the little details of her face: the freckles on her cheeks, the flecks of gold in her hazel eyes.

He didn’t know to reply to that, muttering out a pathetic “thank you.” This conversation was a lot different than dinner. They were quieter, and there was a tension there he couldn't quite name.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect to have a super deep conversation on my first night here with my hot new neighbor…” Rey blushed a deep shade of red as soon as the words came out of her mouth, looking exactly as she had when she’d let slip about the cat.

“Oh my God, I’m sorry. I’m sure you don- Nevermind.”

Ben laughed a little awkwardly, again having no way of replying. Did she really think he was hot? Surely not, right?

Rey shook her head, immediately moving to change the subject.

"I'm glad I met you guys,” she smiled, sitting up a little straighter to compose herself and returning to that optimistic girl he was coming to know better.

“I was kinda worried I wouldn't make friends with anyone in the building. Especially since my friends can be kind of loud, so I didn't want to be that girl whose friends are a nuisance," she laughed, lightening the conversation further and even earning another chuckle from Ben.

"I'm sure you'd make a lot of friends. Lily took a liking to you very quickly," he replied. 

Rey nodded. She was closer now, their thighs brushing against one another as she met his eyes. Once again, the mood had shifted in an instant. Both parties acknowledging the proximity, but neither making any move to get away.

"And you?" She asked, voice dropping to a tone that sent a shiver down his spine.

"Me?" He muttered, mouth suddenly dry and palms sweaty. Kriff, he really was making a mess of this. He was a full-grown man. There was no need to get this worked up over one person. Except that person was Rey, and all rules seemed to fly out of the window.

"You said Lily took a liking to me quickly... What about you?"

Ben was speechless, watching as her eyes flickered to his lips and back. So fast that you could blink and you’d miss it. 

He didn’t miss it.

Ben didn't respond. Instead, he shifted slightly further, hesitating for only a second before his hand came to rest on her cheek. Rey didn't move, albeit to lean into his touch, giving him the confidence he needed for his lips to meet hers in a chaste kiss; soft and hesitant, almost hesitant.

Rey responded immediately, her hand drifting upwards to cup his face, tracing her thumb over the beginnings of stubble starting to grow on his cheek. Her lips worked against his slowly, each of them trying to work the other out at first but inevitably becoming lost in each other's embrace. 

She was intoxicating. The scent of vanilla and something else sweet clung to her skin, sending his senses reeling even after he'd pulled away, a faint smile teasing at his lips. Lucky for him, Rey seemed to appear exactly the same way. He'd worried for a second that she'd pushed him away, but she'd only pulled him closer.

Everything in that moment was perfect. Just being able to sit beside her, knowing she may just feel the same way about him meant everything. Even if nothing came from it, he'd be stupid not to try.

"I have to go," she breathed, hand still resting on his face.

Ben nodded, disentangling himself from her and shifting back into his own space as she continued to speak.

"Maybe we could do dinner again sometime, though? Just the two of us this time. Not that I don't love Lily!"

She panicked slightly at the end, but Ben only chuckled, just relieved she wanted to see him again. He knew she loved Lily. Everyone loved Lily. That was a trait he was certain she'd gained from his mother.

"I'd love to go to dinner... Just us two," He confirmed, reassuring her with an easy smile as they both stood to walk.

Rey blushed, looking down for a moment as she followed, lingering slightly at the door before pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Goodnight room," she joked, laughing softly to herself as she walked away, leaving him to watch as she made her way down the short hall to her own apartment.

There was no choice but to embrace it. Ben had an almighty crush on the Goodnight Moon Lady, and as he closed the door, smiling like a lovesick teen, he knew that was unlikely to change anytime soon.

And, he didn't want it to.

"Goodnight moon," he muttered to himself, wishing that every day could be as perfect as this one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! I really hope you guys enjoyed this short story, it took sooooo much longer to write than I expected so any comments and kudos would be much appreciated.
> 
> Feel free to follow my twitter @AHarrowx for any future work.


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